Dec 15, 2020

MY FRIENDS, WHO ARE WE ALLOWING TO DEFINE OUR DESTINY?

Satan forever the strategist, knows his days are numbered so he does everything he can to keep God’s people from responding to a total commitment to thus saith the Lord as he defines our destiny as, “he disguises temptation and sin by dressing them alluringly. He hides greed and selfishness underneath the golden-threaded silk of materialistic well-being.

He uses the soft green velvet of self-esteem to cover envy and jealousy. He cloaks lust and immorality in the scarlet satin of false love. He arranges the purple [fabric] of supposedly justifiable indignation in such a way that it makes hate and anger appear acceptable. He clothes cowardly fear of what others will think in the sunny yellow [draperies] of self-deception.

And Satan hides doubt and despair beneath the royal blue [finely crinkled silk] of false-intelligence. But someday soon the fires of judgment will expose the cover-up. The holocaust of divine revelation will burn away the glamorous outer coverings that cloak our favorite sins. Then nothing will be left but the charred remnants of blackened character.” ( Leo R.Van Dolson, A Call to Revival)

Searching the internet, I came across a picture of a tree burning from the inside as the outside stayed in-tack, which I’m sure the entire structure eventually turned into ashes. I then begin to think of a child of God’s life that refuses to die to self daily, while allowing God’s Spirit to take total control of our Character.

Friends, if we don’t have that connection to the source of our salvation while “laying aside every weight, and sin which doth so easily beset us,” we will be consumed from the inside and one day when God says it’s finished, the “fires of judgement will expose the cover up and nothing will remain but our charred remains” of what could have been if we would have just given our heart to Christ and developed a personal relationship with Him.

God’s word says, Be sober, be vigilant; because our adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) “Then He called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.” Luke 9:2 (KJV) My friends, Judas who lived in the presence of God for three years was one of the twelve.

But, Judas still betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver. “He hides greed and selfishness underneath the golden-threaded silk of materialistic well-being.” David, a man after God’s on heart, “from the roof saw a beautiful woman bathing. He then sent someone to find out about her.

“She’s  Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, they told David.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came, and he slept with her.” 1 Sam. 11:2-4 (NIV) “He cloaks lust and immorality in the scarlet satin of false love.” My friends, bible characters are only images of who we are and how we respond to Christ love grace and mercy in any, and all situations of our life.

And how we respond will determine our destination,” either we will serve Satan and travel that wide road that leads to “charred remnants of a blackened character” and destruction, this road many will travel. Or, we will follow Christ and travel that narrow road with only a few, but the only road that leads to life-eternal.

Nov. 27, 2020

MY FRIENDS, THERE IS A PEACE IN BELIEVING!!

Satan’s strategy is to keep God’s children infatuated with the chaos that surrounds us daily. But, if our desire is Salvation from the penalty of our transgressions, then our focus must forever be on “the Lord Himself descending from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: as the dead in Christ rise first: Then we, [we meaning ourselves and others must have some desire or a peace in believing that no matter what is going on around us heaven remains our destination.

And we will not give up until we] which are alive and remain are caught up together with [all we hold dear to our hearts] in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we forever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16-17 (KJV) My friends, we must also become serious about that word forever, and the nearness of when forever will start.

Which means we must move away from the greed and selfishness that lies “underneath the golden-threaded silk of materialistic” things that consumes us daily and focus on the peace in Believing that Heaven is not a fairy-tale or a fable but a real place that gives us peace in believing “eye hath not seen [this place], nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Cor 2:9 (KJV)

But in-order to receive that peace there must also be a passion that consumes us daily as to what God’s will is for our life which can only be found in God’s word as we allow His Spirit to guide us in all truth and understanding. ‘These are the names of the mighty men in David’s army: Adino the Eznite: he lifted up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day” 2 Sam. 23:8-10 (KJV)

My friends, we must also become mighty men and women in the army of God. The same power that wrought a great victory with David’s mighty men can also wrought a great victory over the enemy in our lives and the lives of all we proclaim the good news to. These mighty men recognize the power that was within a stone in a boys hand that killed Goliath. And that same power, they believed could wrought a great victory if they had peace in believing.

So today we must recognize the power that defeated Satan at Calvary and rose again so that we my live throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity in God’s pure and holy Kingdom. And “when we must carry our cross “while going through great tribulation, and through our affliction our robes are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev. 7:14 (KJV)

That is when, Power and grace will say it is finished and then Peace and Victory will tell His faithful well done good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” Matt 25:21 (KJV)

Nov. 25, 2020

MY FRIENDS, HAVE WE LOST OUR FOCUS AND LINGERED TO LONG?

Whatever we have gained in this world, “we must count as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, we must count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord, for whom we have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that we may gain Christ.” Phil 3:7-8 (NASB) My friends, can we stay focus and humbly surrender our all to Christ?

Or what are we willing to give up in exchange for the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord” a joy that nothing in this world has ever or will ever be equaled to? Or what good is it for [you and I] to gain the whole world, yet forfeit [our] soul, because Christ timing for a commitment has caught us at a bad time along with His standard of character for His kingdom, because we are unwilling to allow God’s Spirit to transform our character into the image of Christ?

Transformation requires a committed heart that is willing to “suffer the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that we may gain Christ.” All things being our time, talents, finances and a committed heart. Along with, all things being, not our will but God’s will daily. My friends, we must understand “the agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis.

Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones. “The enemy has succeeded in perverting justice and in filling men’s hearts with the desire for selfish gain…… “Justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.” Isaiah 59:14. (KJV) In [our] great cities there are multitudes living in poverty and wretchedness, [as the world along with ourselves are consumed with our on selfish desires] (E.G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9, pp 11)

My friends, we are part of this world, but, what part are “we willing to give up in exchange for the “surpassing value of knowing Christ,” along with a committed heart to serve our neighbor? It’s very hard to take our focus off of this world and give our life totally to Christ, as we commit with passion His will for us. Remember “we cannot serve two masters.”

“When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” And while he lingered…..Gen 19 (NKJV) Those three words are the tragedy of the narrative of Lot and his family. Family-members inside the city although he tried he could not save them because they had lingered to long and had become consumed by their surroundings and not by God’s will.

Even His wife’s heart was consumed with the things of Sodom and that is where she remained, with the lost. Lot the patriarch and provider of the family, also did not come to terms with the fact that he had lingered to long, but because of the grace and mercy of a loving God, he along with his two daughters were saved. As God’s chosen have we lost focus and lingered to long. Christ will soon return to take His faithful who have endured to our new home. But has this world become more appealing, so we linger.

Nov. 24, 2020

MY FRIENDS, HOW LONG HALT YE BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS?

“How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” 1 Kings 18:21 (KJV)

“Not one in that vast assembly dare reveal loyalty to Jehovah. Like a dark cloud, deception and blindness had overspread Israel. Not all at once had this fatal apostasy closed about them, but gradually, as from time to time they had failed to heed the words of warning and reproof that the Lord sent them. Each departure from right-doing, each refusal to repent, had deepened their guilt and driven them farther from Heaven. And now, in this crisis, they persisted in refusing to take their stand for God.” (E.G. White, Prophets and Kings: p 147)

My friends, but gradually, or little by little or maybe in small increments, however we care to define the situation, it happen over time. That dark cloud of deception and blindness had overtaken Israel and it will also be our downfall if we fail to heed the words of warning that “Babylon the great is fallen and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” Rev. 18:2-3 (NKJV) My friends, there is a contamination of impurity that the angel of God is warning us to flee from.

Even the appearance of evil we must escape. There must be a total transformation of mind, body and soul though Gods word and Spirit. Jer. 51:6 (NIV) tells us to “Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins. It is time for the LORD’s vengeance; he will repay her what she deserves.”

My friends, the world has “been arraigned before the bar of divine justice and found guilty on five counts starting with (a) pride and arrogance (b) materialism and luxury (c) adultery (d) deception and (e) persecution of individuals based on their membership in a religious, ethnic, social, or racial classes” (SDA Bible Commentary). God’s long suffering is about to end, today it must become personal between God and ourselves. So, “How long halt ye between two opinions?

If the Lord be God, follow him: but if [the things, and god of this world seems more appealing] then [our Savior has allowed us to make that choice and follow Satan.] But if we choose God, than our Salvation is based on a total commitment to Christ and our faith and endurance to go all the way with cross in hand. Therefore, “if any man [or woman] will come after me, let him deny self, and take up his [or her] cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 (JKV)

My friends, not to deny self daily, then Satan little by little does the transformation. Therefore, Christ warns us to “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.” Matt. 7:13-14 (AMP) So, “How long halt ye between two opinions?